Dove Season to open Sept. 1

Dove hunting in central Texas is a highly anticipated event by hunters. When September arrives, dove hunters will be found in the fields with a shotgun in hand ready to hunt some birds. Dove season is one of the most anticipated since it is the first season to open and kicks off for the other hunting seasons to come.

Dove season begins on Friday, Sept. 1, and ends on Sunday, Oct. 29. It starts up again on Dec. 15, 2023, and ends on Jan. 14, 2024.

In Coryell County, the daily limit is 15 white-winged, mourning, and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, to include no more than two white-tipped. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. Legal shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

There are seven species of doves and pigeons indigenous to Texas, of which only three (mourning dove, white-winged dove, and white-tipped dove) are currently hunted. Two species (red-billed pigeon and band-tailed pigeon) are currently listed as legal game birds by federal and state regulations but are not hunted in Texas due to limited numbers and distribution. 

All migratory game bird hunters must have a valid hunting license.

For more information about dove season, those interested can visit the website for Texas Parks & Wildlife Department at https://tpwd.texas.gov.